Shoe



E4,1936- A P. G. FLINT 928,05

, SHOE Filed July 5, 19:54

'y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE - Perley G. Flint, Brockton, Mass., assigner to Field and Flint Co., Brockton, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 5, 1934, Serial No. 733,836

y Claims.

My invention, which relates to shoes, and has among its objects the provision of an improved waterproof construction, willbe best understood from the following description when read in the I5 light of the accompanying drawing of an example of shoe constructed according to the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a shoe according to the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates one form of the shoe according to the invention, I have shown a common construction of welt shoe having the insole I, welt 3, and uppers, which latter in the present embodiment of the invention comprise Vthe outer leather layer 5 and an inner lining i of textile material or soft leather or combinations of the two.

As shown, the insole is provided with a channel 9 and the welt with a groove II, a line of stitching, the stitches I3 of which extend from the channel 9 of the insole to the groove II of the welt, being provided for securing the welt whereby water can leak into the interior of the shoe. Also, in such: a shoe, Water can leak into the interior thereof by way of the welt groove and channel of the insole through the line of stitching. Further, the textile lining, when employed, has its edges exposed at the outer surface of the insole and forms a means which tends to act as a wick to draw moisture into the interior of the shoe. Still further, the material of the insole commonly is of a rather spongy grade of leather with the split surface thereof exposed at the outer side, and this surface readily absorbs moisture. Also, the upper leathers being thin, moisture tends to penetrate them and moisten the lining and from this source wet the sock or stocking of the wearer of the shoe.

For waterproofing the shoe, in the present embodiment of the invention the upper leather lhas applied thereto at the inner side thereof what amounts to a thin sheet I9 of accid, Wearresisting, waterproof material, preferably such as will provide a smooth surface. The layer of the material I9, as shown, extends into the seam between the welt and insole, and preferably is of such height as to terminate at approximately the center of the height of the shoe at the toe portion, as in indicated at 2| in Fig. 1. At its rearward end the layer preferably terminates 5 .at the heel portion of the shoe in overlapping relation to the counter 23. If desired, however, the coating I9 may be of a different extent, as, for example, it may be co-extensive with the entire extent of the upper leather or may be 10 confined to any desired portion thereof.

The coating I9, shown of exaggerated thickness in the drawing, is applied to the upper leather as a liquid and dried before the lining is assembled with the upper leather and the uppers drawn over the last and secured to the insole and welt. If desired, a smooth layer 25, also shown of exaggerated thickness in the drawing, of like waterproof material may be applied to the top surfaces of the insole and welt and permitted to dry after the shoe is lasted and before the filler 21 and sole are applied. Preferably, sufl'icient material is applied in forming the layer 25 to fill or close the channel 9 and groove II. l'f desired, the layer 25 may extend over the 25 entire width of the top surfaces of. the welt and insole, or it may be of such width as merely to fill or close the channel 9 and groove II and cover the exposed surface portions of the welt and insole between the groove and channel. The material of the coating is preferably so compounded as to have the property of being able to impregnate the exposed portions of the textile lining 'I and stitches I3 adjacent the top surfaces of the insole and welt. In this way the 3 seam between the insole and welt may be coinpletely waterproofed, and, as the material of which the coating is formed contains a volatile solvent, the layer 25, in cases where it contacts the layers I9, is integrally united therewith.

I have found as suitable for use in forming the above described waterproof sheets or coatings a nitrocellulose base containing a plasticizer such as di-ethyl-phthalate or castor oil dissolved in a Volatile solvent, the latter preferably being a mixture of ethyl alcohol and amyl acetate. The nitrocellulose base is preferably celluloid, although. nitrated cotton, or wood fibers, or other nitrocellulose material may be employed. The di-ethyl-phthalate or other plasticizer makes the celluloid flaccid. The amyl acetate causes the celluloid or other nitrocellulose base to be absorbed by the insole and upper leather so as to penetrate them to a slight extent and secure good adherence. When mixed with ethyl alcohol, amyl acetate makes a stronger solvent than either ethyl alcohol or amyl acetate used alone.

As suitable proportions of constituents of the coating material, but without limitation thereto, it has been found that satisfactory results will be secured by using one pound of celluloidto each gallon or a mixture of the other constituents in approxiinatelyrthe following volumetric proportions: ethyl alcohol, 75%; amyl acetate, 20% di-ethyl-phthalate, 5%.

The above proportions are capable of considerable Variations. Preferably the di-ethylphthalate is varied to control the iiaccidity of the Celluloid or other nitrocellulose employed, and other celluloid solvents may be employed as substitutes for the ethyl alcohol and amyl acetate, the latter two substances, however, preferably being employed for the reasons above pointed out.

It has been found that the above described compound, when applied to the shoe, has Wearing qualities commensurate with the wearing qualities of Celluloid and at the same time is flaccid, which secure a degree of durability which would not be secured were the ordinary Celluloid solutionY applied to the shoe. The tough, horn-like character of the coating is such that Yit resists wear when subjected to friction, and no cracks or checks occur when the shoe is in use as the fiaccidity of the material is such that the leather may be bent or crumpled without fracturing the coating.

It will be understood that although a welt form of shoe is illustrated, the same constitutes but one example or" the invention, and that the coating is equally applicable to the seams, insoles and uppers of other forms of shoes.

I claim: Y

l. A shoe having an insole, welt, uppers and sole, said uppers at their' lower edge portions being positioned between said welt and insole and the uppers and welt being secured to the insoie by a line of stitching, the stitches of which extend from the under side of the welt to the under side of the, insole7 a layer of non-tacky, ilaccid, waterproof material in adhering relation to the under side or" said insole and welt but in adjacent portion of said uppers which is between said insole and welt.

2. A shoe having an insole, welt, uppers and sole, said uppers at their lower edge portions being positioned between said welt and insole and the uppers and welt being secured to the insole by a line of stitching, the stitches of which extend from the under side of the welt to the under side of the insole, a layer of nontacky, accid, waterproof material in adhering relation to the under side of said insole and welt but in non-adhering relation to said sole, said layer closing the joint between said welt, uppers and insole and the exposed sides of said line of stitching on the welt and insole, and a layer of similar material on an inner surface portion of said uppers above said insole and covering the adjacent portion of said uppers which is between said insole and welt, the last mentioned layer being integral with the first mentioned layer.

3. A shoe having an insole, welt, uppers and a sole, said uppers at their lower edge portions being positioned between said welt and insole, and a non-tacky, accid, wear-resisting, adhering coating of waterproof material on an inner surface portion of said uppers above said insole extending to the adjacent portion thereof that is between said welt and insole.

fi. A shoe having an insole, welt, uppers comprising an outer layer and a lining, and a sole, said uppers at their lower edge portions being positioned between said welt and insole, and a non-taclf.y, ilaccid, wear-resisting adhering coating of waterproof material on an inner surface portion of said outer layer of said uppers above said insole in non-adhering relation to said lining, said coating extending to the adjacent portion of said uppers that is between said insole and welt.

5. A shoe having an insole, welt, uppers and sole, said uppers at their lower edge portions being positioned between said welt and insole and the uppers and welt being secured to the insole by a line of stitching, the stitches of which extend from the under side of the welt to the under side of -vthe insole, non-tacky, flaccid. waterproof material in non-adhering relation to said sole closing the joint between ksaid Welt, uppers and insole, and a layer of similar materialen an inner surface portion of said uppers above said insole and covering the adjacent portion of said uppers which is between said insole and welt.

PERLEY G. FLINT. 

